Belt-fastener-engaging tool.



M. W. EDGAH. l B ELT FASTENE R ENGAGING TOOL. I

APPLICATION HLEp APR- IB; 91a.

Patented SHEET May EETS- l/VI/E/VTOR ,qrromvsys MM MOW WITNESSES. fm a,

M. W. EDGAR.

BELT FASTENER ENGAGING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 13; NH. 1 1 5 186, v Patented May 30, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

a C0 771 ya) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM W. EDGAR, OF GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN.

BELT-FASTENERFENGAG-ING TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed April 18, 1913. Serial Nb. 762,149.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM. W. EDGAR a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grosse Pointe, in the county'of Wayne'and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Belt-Fastener-Engaging Tools, of which the in shipment, the individual staples have" been mounted on cards or in gangs secured to each other, and the number of hooks in 7 each card or gang is generally sufficient for a belt of considerable width. .In use, where the fasteners are secured to a belt of lesser width than that of the card or gang, the remaining hooks are usually wasted. Moreover, if all of. the hooks which are used are engaged simultaneously with the belt, this operation is one requiring more power than can be applied through a hand tool and some form of power machine is necessary.

The present invention is designed to facilitate the attachment of the fasteners; first, by forming gang units of a standard size, so selected as to be of no greater'width than the minimum width of belts in common use; second, the number of hooks in- -each gang is restricted td be within the power of a hand-operated closing tool; and third, the hooks are secured to each other by detachable ganging strips which are readily removable after the closing operation, but which nevertheless securely hold the hooks in the gang prior to the closing operation.

' My .invention further comprisesthe means employed for engaging these gangs with the belt, which consists of a hand tool provided with closing jaws and operating levers, and means for positioning the gang unit in the tool intermediate the jaws, also means for guiding the 'tool in the operation of placing a second gang so as to exactly aline the same with the gang previously fastened.

Still further, the invention compris s a previously engaged; and Fig. 7 is a construction of lever-operating mechanism for the tool, by which a very powerful final closing pressure may be given to securely fiaiten and embed the staple shanks in the e t. Y

In the drawings: Figure'l is a side elevaftion of a tool employed for closing the gang units in engagement with the belt; Fig. 2 1s an end elevation partly in section; Fig. 3 is a'central section in a plane paralled to Fig. 1; Fig. 4' is a view slmilar to Fig. 1 showing a different adjustment of the parts; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a single 'gang unit secured to a belt of corresponding width; Fig. 6 shows a belt of greater width than a single unit, and illustrates the method of successively engaging the units and al'iningthe same by the units perspective vlew of one of the gang'units.

1 is my improved standard gang unit, whlch comprises a series of individual staples 2 having the sharpened, inwardly-v extending hooks 3 at their opposite ends.

corrugated strips 4 engaging the same and secured from dlsengagement by adhesive ce- 'ment.. As.above stated, the width of the gang is restricted to'that ofthe minimum belt in common use, which necessitates the use of several units for the fastening of wider belts. All of these units must be accurately falined, as otherwise the pull-of the belt would 'not be evenly distributed. I

have therefore devised a closing tool, which is capable of accurately positioning each unit with respect to the belt and the units previously engaged, and which also may be operated by hand with the requisite power, the construction being as follows: A and B are hand-operated levers pivotally secured to veach other by the pin 0. C is a jaw fixed and preferably integral with the lever A, and C- is a cooperating paw pivoted to the jaw C by the pin M. To secure a powerfulfinal pressure in the closing of the jaws C and C and at the same time to provide sufiicient movement, I have employed a toggle connection between the lever B and the jaw C. This, as shown, comprises a portion on the lever B oflset laterally from the pivot O to form one arm of the toggle, and this arm is connected by a link D engaging a pin P on the offset portion B and a pin N connected to the jaw C.

The proportion of parts is such that when .80 These hooks are relatively positioned by j the lever B is opened out from the lever A, the oflset portion B will be at an angle in relation to the link D to impart a maximum movement upon the initial closing of the levers. When, 1 however, the lever B approaches a position of parallelism to the lever A said offset portion is approaching its dead center, so that comparatively slight movement but great power is imparted to the aw C.

To properly engage the units with the belt, the offset legs of each staple should be held in symmetrical relation to the plane of the belt, with all of the staples in proper transverse alinement. T have therefore provided a unit holder E, which is pivoted upon the pin M, and is provided with slots E for operating shoulders on the jaw members, as

he also provided with shoulders S for engaging the shoulders T on the wings T to will be hereinafter set forth..

To drive the points of the staplesinto the belt, it is desirable to apply the maximum pressure to the outer ends of the staple legs, and I have therefore provided bearing blocks F and F which are pivotally connected to the respective jaws C and C by pins J and J These bearing blocks have a limited freedom of movement upon their respective pins, and in initial'position will assume an angular relation slightly difi'erent from that. of the gang unit, so that'thebean,

ing will be upon the outer ends of thestaple legs. These bearing blocks may, if desired,

move the holder E into. a central position when the jaws are fully open.

.. In operation, the unit to be secured is-en-- gaged with the tool by first opening the levers A and B and then inserting the staple ends in the slots 1] of the member E, and placing the pin G in the transverse aperture to lock the unit from disengagement. The belt is then inserted between the jaws and open hooks of the staples until its edge bears against the face of the member The levers A and B are then drawn together, which. may be accomplished by a single hand, in a similar manner to the operation of a pair of shears or pliers. The initial movement will force the sharpened points R of the staples into the leather which offers but slight resistanceto the movement. As

memes they become more deeply embedded the :31..-

ment is sufficient to not only force the points completely into the latter, but also to embed the opposite legs into the opposite faces of the belt.

If the width of the belt corresponds to that of a single unit, the operation just described is complete, but where several units are necessary they must be successively engaged and properly alined. The alinement is secured by forming the pin G of greater length than the width'of the unit and the holding member E, and by inserting the projecting end of this pin into the loops of the unit previously secured,- as shown in Fig. 6. Thus the second unit will be exactly aline d with the first one and each succeeding unit similarly alined until the entire width of the belt is covered.

If desired, the tool may be provided with an adjustment to vary the relative positions of the jaws at the instant of application of "a maximum force to the same. This pro- .v-ision serves to better adapt the device for use with different thicknesses of belt, which, as shown, comprises an adjustment in the length of the link 1).. This link is provided with two or more apertures for receiving the pivot pin N, which is detachable and is vided with a head I at 'one end and 'a wi nut H at the opposite end. Thus by shi the point of engagement of'the pin, the f1 ,1

owerful movement of the toggle is adjusted or different thicknesses of belt. Such adjustment is not, however, absolutely essential, as the tool without adjustment will operate satisfactorily within the range of variation of thickness of belts in common use. The lever A is preferably bifurcated ing a pair of pivotally connected jaws, a

holder for a gang unit of staples intermediate said jaws and pivoted to beindependently movable in relation to each "jaw, bearing blocks for said jaws arranged at such an angle to the holder as to initially bear upon the outer ends of the staples of the unit, and means for closing said jaws with progressively increasing power. e

2. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected aws, a holder for a gang unit of staples pivoted to be independently movable with respect to said jaws intermediate the same, said holder being provided with a series of slots for-the engagement of the individual staples of the unitga'nd transversely apertured for the engagement of a securing pin, and a pin for engaging said transverse aperture and all of a length to engage the unit previously inserted to aline the subsequently fastened unit therewith.

3. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws, a

pivoted holder for a gang unit of staples intermediate said jaws, means for closing said jaws upon said unit, and means for engaging a unit previously secured to aline the unit in said holder therewith.

4. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws, a holder for a gang unit of staples secured by the same pivot to be independently movable in relation to each of said jaws, bearing blocks pivotally connected to said jaws, and means for closing said jaws with progressively increasing power. i

5. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws, one being bifurcated to embrace the other, a bifurcated lever connected with one of said jaws, a lever pivoted in said bifurcation,

and a toggle connection between said second having its pivotal axis coincident with that of the jaws.

8. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising apair of pivotally connected, lever-operated jaws, a pivoted holder for 'a gang unit of staples intermediate said jaws and having its pivotal axis coincident with that of the jaws, and means for temporarily locking said unit in said holder.

9. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws,

means for operating the same, and a pivoted holder for a gang unit of staples intermediate the jaws and having its pivotal axis coincident with that of the jaws.

10. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotallyconnected jaws,

bearing blocks correlated with said jaws for engaging a gang unit of staples arranged at an angle to initially bear upon the outer ends of the unit, and a holder for the gang unit intermediate sai jaws, and maintained substantially centered relative to the jaws through a connection with the bearing blocks.

11. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of correlated jaws, bearing blocks for said jaws arranged at an angle to initially bear upon the outer ends of the staples of a gang unit, and a holder for the unit intermediate said jaws, and bearing blocks respectively correlated with the jaws.

14. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of correlated jaws, a holder for a gang unit intermediate said'jaws, and bearing blocks respectively pivotally carried by the jaws.

15. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of correlated aws having bearing portions for engaging a gang unit of staples, one 'of said portions being pivotally carried by a correlated jaw, and a holder intermediate the jaws for engaging the gang unit.

16. A belt fastener engaging tool, comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws,

- and a holder for a gang unit of staples intermediate said jaws and having a connec tion with the jaws arranged to maintainv said holder substantially centered between the jaws when they are fully opened.

17. A belt fastener engaging tool, C0111- prising a pair of pivotally connected jaws, a pivoted. holder for a gang unit of staples correlated with the jaws intermediate the same, and means connecting the jaws and holder arranged to maintain the latter substantially centered between the jaws when they are fully opened.

18. In a belt fastener, the combination with'a pair of coacting jaws, of a pair of bearing plates mounted one upon each jaw and movable relatively thereto, and a holder for a series of staples associated with said bearin plates.

19. with a pair of coacting jaws, of a pair of bearing plates wholly supported one upon each jaw, angularly displaceable relatively to the jaws and actuatable by the jaws from an angular to a substantially parallel relation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MALCOLM W. EDGAR. Witnesses:

J AMES P. BARRY, HENRI E. BOWMAN.

n. a belt fastener, the combination 

